WARNING: Installing System Menu themes is risky business. WiiHacks does not recommend you attempt this without having BootMii installed as boot2 with a current nand backup and/or priiloader installed.
ONLY install themes from a trusted source.
ONLY install themes for your specific system menu and region!
Faulty themes can and will BRICK YOUR WII.
In addition, installing a custom theme that is corrupt could possibly corrupt Priiloader as well, bricking you PERMANENTLY unless you have bootmii as boot2!

Now that you've read and fully understand the risks involved.... On with the guide!

There are multiple things you will need to do in order to safely install a custom theme. Read each of the following spoilers carefully before proceeding!

Understanding file types and how Themes work

While working with themes you will see multiple file types:
.mym = MyMenu file - This contains all the images and locations of them for the theme.
.csm = Custom System Menu - This is what is created using ThemeMii (below) and what will be installed to your Wii using MyMenuify (also below).
Each System Menu version has a different place where it stores the info for how the system menu looks. This info is stored in a .app file, of which in each SM version is named differently.

So how does this all work?
- ThemeMii accesses the .app for your specific system menu.
- It then applies the changes located in the .mym file.
- Finally it converts the results into a .csm file, of which you install to your Wii using MyMenuify.

Downloading and setting up ThemeMii for first time use

- Download ThemeMii from HERE and extract directly to your computer Desktop. This program must be used to convert any .mym files you download to .csm files that can be installed using MyMenuify.
- Create a folder called mym files inside your thememii folder. This is where we will store all the .mym files we will be downloading later on.
- Run ThemeMii.exe - it warns you only to install themes with proper brick protection, click OK.
- If you have a firewall installed on your PC you may be prompted to allow or deny access - make sure you allow.
- Go to Tools --> Download Base App --> and select your System Menu Version # and Region. VERY IMPORTANT - MAKE SURE you select the correct version # and region for your Wii!!!!!!

- The Save As dialog box pops up - I suggest you save the file in your ThemeMii folder, but you can save it anywhere you want to, just remember where it is - click Save. Note in the image below that the file name may or may not be the same for everyone! This is because (as described above) each different system menu version has a different .app file. MAKE SURE you selected the correct one!

Converting .mym files to .csm files

In order for you to apply any themes to your Wii, you must convert the mym file to a csm file that corresponds to your system menu and region. For the purposes of this tutorial, we are going to download the Dark White Wii Theme.

Download the file for YOUR system menu below:
NTSC = HERE (example - 4.3u)
PAL = HERE (example - 4.3e)
KOR = HERE (example - 4.3k)
JAP = HERE (example - 4.3j)
Please note: This theme will only work for System Menu versions 4.0 to 4.3!!! DO NOT attempt to install this on a Wii with a system menu version less than 4.0!!!

- Extract the downloaded file to the mym files folder that you should have made earlier. (.../desktop/thememii/mym files).
- In ThemeMii go to File --> Open, double click the mym files folder, then select the 4-X_DarkWii_white_NTSC.mym file and click Open.

- At this point the formerly empty screen on the left side of ThemeMii is now populated with the various elements of the theme. DO NOT mess with any of these settings! Going into .ash files and the like is beyond the scope of this guide or this thread. Leave everything on the screen alone! (As a side note, messing with these files is how one of our former mods bricked his Wii and corrupted Priiloader. Fortunately he had boot2 and a nand backup. So, simply do not mess with these files!)

- At this point we are ready to create our .csm file. Near the bottom right side of ThemeMii, click the Create csm button.
- An Open File dialog box opens. Navigate back to the ThemeMii folder (or wherever you saved the .app file you downloaded earlier) and select the .app file and click Open.

-Now a Save As dialog box opens. It should be automatically filled in for you with the name of the csm file you are creating. I left it at default, but you can change it to whatever you want to. I also left the location as the ThemeMii folder, that way I could easily find it again, once again up to you. Click Save to create your csm file.

- After the .csm is compiled, ThemeMii will ask you if you want to save your mym file. Select No, since we didnt modify it in any way.

Congrats, you have now successfully created a csm file! On to installing your new theme!

Installing and Using MyMenuify

- Download MyMenuify from HERE and extract it directly to the apps folder on your sd card.
- Create a folder called modthemes on the root of your sd card. This is where we will save all of the Custom Menu Files we create. (IMPORTANT - This folder must be named correctly otherwise MyMenuify will not see your themes)
- Copy your newly created .csm file to the modthemes folder on your SD card.
- Insert your SD card into your Wii and launch the Homebrew Channel
- Select and Load MyMenuifyMOD (if your Wiimote loses sync press A)
- At the next screen you will be prompted to select an IOS you want to load - select 249 and press A

- Under Available Custom Menus, 4-x_DarkWii_White_***.csm is already selected. Press A to install it.
- Your theme installs, press any button to return to the System Menu. Now check out your cool new theme! :D

Use the above instructions to install any theme you wish. Again, and we cant state this enough, you can brick by installing corrupted themes! Only install themes from a trusted source!

The following themes have been verified as safe by the staff here at WiiHacks. If you would like to submit a theme for display in this post, please PM cjizzle links to the mym files (as many regions as possible). Since 4.1 is the most popular system menu, please make certain that it is compatible with that system menu version!

Credits

Thanks goes out to:
- Leathl for ThemeMii - Source HERE.
- Scooby74029 and Icefire for MyMenuify MOD - Source HERE
- WiiThemeTeam for some of the custom themes
- oddgriffin for bringing up the subject of themes again
- mauifrog and Krafter for providing some insight regarding brick protection
- bbmarlo for the banner

03-22-2013, 06:03 PM

cjizzle

Here you go WiiHackers! Make sure you follow all the safety precautions if you use this guide! Hope you enjoy! :)

03-22-2013, 11:27 PM

MattAkiyama

Thanks a ton Cjizzle, this is so useful! This is just what the site needed. It's pretty obscure finding themes now adays. Plus there's no good instructions out there to help install it, they only provided the mym files.
Now if only I knew how to edit themes, mainly to change the health screen background. There's nobody on Earth that knows how. Only the few rare theme creators out there do.

Edit: Some of these themes have video previews. It might be good idea to put them into spoilers. It's not easy choosing a theme when all you can see if the health screen. Just a suggestion though xD

On another note, the banner at the top is sorta hard to read. It looks nice, but dark letters on a dark background is kinda hard to read. Just observing, giving some opinions. Sorry bmarlo, I love your edits, no hard feelings!

03-22-2013, 11:40 PM

bmarlo

Nice work Cjizzle! Great job on this. :)

03-23-2013, 05:19 AM

BluPhant

Great job CJizzle! I'm gonna go play with this on my older Boot2 Wii later today.

Everyone take heed of his warning and read the guide carefully. While new themes can give a new look to your old Wii, there are risks involved. If you have a newer Wii (one without gamecube ports) just stop now, and don't even think about doing this. These wiis have virtually no safety net avaialble in the event that something goes wrong. Having bootmii installed as boot2 is the only sane way to use this guide.

-Blu

03-23-2013, 03:06 PM

MattAkiyama

I've gathered video previews for each of the provided themes here. If you want to use them, they'll be here in this post.

Seems like so far you have all the dark themes. This may turn into one of different categories in the future when other themes are shared here.

Hope this helps out.

07-29-2014, 07:48 AM

staticminor

The link for the ThemeMii file isn't working. Everytime I try to download, I get a corrupted archive. I tried searching for alternative sources, but I can't find a version that supports 4.3 U. Can anyone help? Before you ask, I already have bootmii as boot2 and priiloader installed.

07-29-2014, 08:32 AM

cjizzle

Not sure what your problem could be, I just downloaded without issue. Try THIS LINK.

07-29-2014, 02:14 PM

staticminor

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjizzle

Not sure what your problem could be, I just downloaded without issue. Try THIS LINK.

That link worked, but it didn't have support for 4.3 system menus. Guess I'm too late to the game?Attachment 4838

07-29-2014, 07:02 PM

cjizzle

Haha..all this time I didnt realize it didnt support 4.3. Maybe thats because 4.3 was pointless? Anyways, you could try to find a newer version, or you could downgrade to 4.1 using the Softmod ANY Wii guide. 4.1 is better to be on anyways :p